MEXICO CITY — Nicaraguan police have made shocking allegations against the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant, Karen Celebertti. They claim that she rigged the contests to ensure that anti-government beauty queens would win, as part of a plot to overthrow the government.
The controversy began when Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, won the Miss Universe competition. At first, the government celebrated her win as a moment of “legitimate joy and pride.” However, things took a turn when it was revealed that Palacios had participated in the mass anti-government protests in 2018.
The protests were met with violent repression, resulting in the deaths of 355 people. The government accused the protesters of attempting a coup, while their opponents argued that they were simply protesting against the repressive rule of President Daniel Ortega.
The National Police have accused Celebertti of actively participating in the protests and have even gone as far as to charge her, her husband, and son with “treason to the motherland.” They claim that she used the beauty pageants as a platform to promote political agendas financed by foreign agents.
The Miss Universe win was seen as a rare opportunity for Nicaraguans to celebrate, but it also angered the government as many used the national flag, which is forbidden in protests. The government has since cracked down on opposition social media sites and closed down universities that were hubs for the 2018 protests.
Despite the controversy, Palacios, the first Nicaraguan to win Miss Universe, has not commented on the situation. During the contest, she expressed her desire to work on promoting mental health and closing the gender salary gap.
It’s a shocking turn of events for the Miss Nicaragua pageant, and the allegations have sparked widespread debate and outrage in the country.
The director’s arrest is long overdue. The exploitation of women in beauty pageants must be addressed. #AccountabilityNeeded